A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams

 

Multicultural Realistic Fiction

This book is a excellent Caldecott Honor winner about family and friends working together towards a common bond.  The book is about a family consisting of three generations of women; daughter, mother, and grandmother.  This family lost all material possessions when their last house was engulfed in flames.  The  mother works as a waitress, and saves her change every night by placing the remains of her tips into a shared jar for the family.  The daughter and grandmother also contribute to the jar, in hopes to buy a big, comfy chair they can all use to relax and prop their feet up in after a long day of work.  I especially loved the book because I have personally worked as a waitress throughout my college career, and I know how the mother feels when she just wants to rest her feet, at the end of the day.  Serving is hard work!

Vera B. Williams is the author and illustrator of this book, and she does a fabulous job of using vivid colors and slightly abstract paintings to express the flair and individuality of the cultural, while engaging the reader through words and beautiful pictures.  The way she describes and paints the picture of the chair helps the reader to visualize lounging in the lovely armchair.

In the classroom:

This book can be geared towards primary age children, preferably in grades K-2nd.

Teachers can...

1.  Create a classroom jar and have the children  save coins and donate the money.

2.  Create a brainstorming web for a writing prompt about something student wants to save money and buy.

3.  Children can create a replica of a favorite chair, explain why on card stock, and set the chairs out on desks for open house, or another event.

Response questions for children:

1.  Why does the family want a chair?
2.  Is there something worth saving your money for?
3.  Why is it important that they save for the chair as a family?

About the author:

Vera B. Williams was born in California, graduated from college with a degree in graphic art, and has three children.  Check out these other great books by Vera B. Williams;  Cherries and Cherry Pits, "More, More, More," said Baby, and Something Special For Me (The last book is an extension of A Chair For My Mother).

References:

 

Williams, Vera B. (1982). A Chair For My Mother. New York:  Green Willow Books